An Inspiring Emancipator: Raden Adjeng Kartini

I am highly wonder – stricken by three feminists from my city of
Jepara. They struggled for women's rights in Indonesia. Raden Ajeng
(R.A) Kartini, Nyimas Ratu Kalinyamat, and Ratu Shima are all women
emancipators. R.A Kartini was Indonesia’s feminist educator, Ratu
Kalinyamat and Ratu Shima were outstanding Jepara Queens assisting
Indonesia of the occupancies of the Portuguese and directed the
Holing/Kalingga Palace.

From the above, Indonesia government has defined Raden Ajeng
Kartini as a national woman, emancipator for education. She is
hailed as a woman emancipator because she provides independence and
self esteem for women achieving the education. In the Javanese
tradition, there were gender disparities, especially for women.
Under colonial occupation, women lived in villages and some of the
aristocratic girls didn’t receive the appropriate education. If
they did receive it, it was limited for distinctive educational
levels. Kartini, young girls of the Regenct of Jepara, obtained
high educational levels. She felt she was discriminated against
because the other girls didn't have the same position as her. It
was not absurd because of the Javanese culture as most Javanese
women were kept in seclusion at home until marriage, which was
usually at the age of 12.

Kartini asked to him the explanation of the above. On one hand, she
rebelled against the strong tradition of gender discrimination. As
her fervent to stop the discrimination, she shared her feelings to
wife of the new Dutch officer appointed as Assistant Resident of
Jepara, Mevrouw Ovink-Soer. As a result, Kartini changed the
tradition of being received rationally. There was no discrimination
on education, women had rights to attain the highest levels of
education. Kartini also successfully increased education of
Indonesians and raised the peasants' standard of living through
agricultural improvements and the promotion of indigenous
handicrafts. She wrote a prominent book entitled, "Through Darkness
into Light," which became a bestseller. Her book was published in
Holland in 1911 and had four editions by 1923. She also established
a school for young girls in the Jepara Regency. She passed away at
a young age of twenty-five.